Jewelry cleaner is a solution used to remove dirt, tarnish, and other debris from your precious metal and gemstone jewelry. Jewelry cleaners come in a variety of formulas, from liquid to foam, and are available in dips, sprays, and wipes. Some also have a brush component to help scrub away stubborn dirt and stains. Some cleaners are manual while others are ultrasonic—the latter uses high-frequency sound waves to agitate and clean your jewelry. Our jewelry cleaner reviews feature both types of products, and the best option for you depends on the type of jewelry you wear, your cleaning needs, and how hands-on you want to be.
The most common jewelry cleaners are made of natural ingredients like baking soda and vinegar that dissolve tarnishes quickly without exposing your precious metal to harsh chemicals or prolonged exposure to abrasive solutions. These homemade jewelry cleaner recipes work well for most rings, necklaces, and earrings, but can be difficult to use on delicate items with engraved details or intricate nooks and crannies that are hard to reach with a brush. Soaking these pieces in a homemade cleaning solution for several minutes before scrubbing can be helpful to loosen up any dirt and grime that has settled into the smallest crevices.
For more advanced jewelry cleaning needs, there are a number of top-rated chemical-free jewelry cleaners on the market that offer effective results for both solid gold and sterling silver. These cleaners often use natural, food-grade ingredients, and some are safe to use for all types of metal, including yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum. Some even have an anti-tarnish ingredient to prevent future tarnishing.
Many of the jewelry cleaners we reviewed come in the form of wipes, which are easy to use and don’t require rinsing or drying after each use. They also tend to be more efficient than a liquid or gel formula, and are easier to use on multiple pieces of jewelry at one time. Stick cleaners are another quick and convenient option, and they’re ideal for travel since you can pack them in your purse or work bag.
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners work by creating a rapid, pulsing cycle of water and soap bubbles to gently but thoroughly clean the jewelry within. The sound waves create a phenomenon called cavitation, where millions of microscopic bubbles collide with and implode on the surface of the jewelry to loosen tarnishes, residue, and dirt. Some ultrasonic jewelry cleaners include a separate tank for the cleaning solution, while others have the cleaner built into the machine’s transducer. Either way, you should only use the manufacturer-approved cleaning solution for your specific model of jewelry cleaner to ensure the highest level of safety and efficacy.
